Color in Marketing and Branding

Have you ever noticed how businesses choose one or several colors to represent their brand, and use them consistently across various marketing campaigns? The distinct and wisely designed color schemes in company logos, names, stores, advertisements and other marketing materials are not there by accident. They have been researched, deliberated on, tested, developed, launched and redeveloped based on market reception and trends.

There is a psychological explanation behind each color in marketing and branding as far as businesses are concerned. A single color may not work well for all industries, which is why companies continue to change how they use the colors that represented them for the longest time.

To know which one is more suitable for you, here are the psychological implications of each color:

1. Red (e.g. Coca-Cola)

This color symbolizes stability, power and influence. The businesses that use red are said to claim victory over their competitors. One study shows that this color is more commonly used by businesses that have been around for several decades already. It is also deemed “less modern,” which is why most startup businesses and cloud-based businesses try to avoid it as much as possible.

For businesses that have operation and large market in Asia, red is normally favored because this color is considered lucky in many countries in the region.

2. Blue (e.g. JP Morgan)

This color represents trust, dependability and credibility, which is why most banking and financial institutions prefer to have their brands sprinkled with different shades of blue.
Blue is also considered a modern color. Many computer-related companies and social media sites use this color to represent them. Some of these companies are Intel, IBM, Facebook and Skype.

3. Yellow (e.g. McDonalds)

This color is considered as the happiest color, making it a good choice for businesses whose main target market are children. It also symbolizes warmth, so businesses that offer services instead of products usually include it in their color schemes.

4. Purple (e.g. Welch)

This color stimulates imagination and whets appetite, so most businesses that use it either target young people or sell foods. Some of the most prominent examples are T-Mobile, which is known for their playful advertisements (e.g. T-Mobile-Angry Bird commercial), Hallmark, which is associated with special occasions and Holidays, Cadbury, which sells chocolates and appeals to younger people, and Taco Bell, which sells foods.

5. Green (e.g. Starbucks)

It symbolizes health, peacefulness, balance and environment, which is why businesses that advocate health, wellness, environmental conservation, and relaxation commonly use it. Apparently, this is also an outstanding color for businesses in the “green” industry (e.g. sustainable housing, solar energy, green web hosting). Other prominent businesses that use green in marketing and branding are Animal Planet and Whole Foods.

The use of color in marketing and branding is not merely about appearance and visual appeal. Rather, it is largely about representation. Also, remember that a single color may not symbolize the same quality across all cultures.